Category: Florida Keys vacation rentals

South Florida Beaches You Need to See – Even in the Winter

Who says that winter has to put a damper on all the fun? In Florida, there’s no such thing as a bad season, and the weather is always nearly perfect (except for the occasional hurricane, of course). When you think of visiting Florida Keys vacation rentals, fall and winter are probably not the seasons you think of when visiting. However, there are breathtaking beaches all over that you should make a point to check out before spring break rolls around. 

Delray Beach’s downtown area is directly located on the water. You won’t find anywhere else like it within the entire country. Visitors get a surreal feeling of being in the water without actually being in the water. Get a view of the famous Atlantic Avenue and its many shops, restaurants, and bars. Delray Beach is home to three million visitors in a single year. 

Sebastian Inlet State Park is three miles of surfing and fishing. If you are the outdoors type, this one’s for you. Enjoy snorkeling, surfing, fishing, swimming, beachcombing, and more (note: some of these excursions may not be available at all times of the year.)

During your South Florida vacation rentals stay, be sure to also check out Calusa Beach. It’s located on Big Pine Key and is a smaller beach, so if you’re looking for a quiet getaway, you’ll love it here. It has plenty of beautiful views and includes showers and changing rooms, so it makes a great place for families. 

Love dogs? Sombrero Beach in Marathon, FL, is dog-friendly! You can also try your hand at beach volleyball while you soak up the sun. 

South Florida Winter Vacation Ideas

Yes, even in the year’s coldest month’s South Florida continues to be a safe haven for those who enjoy warmer weather. While Florida may not be what you picture when you think of an idyllic Christmas town, it’s full of plenty of wonderful things to see even when it’s colder outside. Thinking of a Christmas vacation? Try one of our South Florida vacation rentals!

In Key West, you can enjoy temperatures of around 70 degrees and a nice ocean breeze. In winter, when you stay at one of our Florida Keys vacation rentals, you can still enjoy all the summer fun. Diving, deep-sea fishing, snorkeling, swimming, sailing, and jet-skiing are some of the many excursions visitors and locals alike enjoy. 

In Miami, there is always an abundance of things to do. South Beach is known to be a great place to grab a drink outdoors, and art lovers can take a look at the many galleries happening during the winter months. Santa’s Enchanted Forest is a great family activity, including rides, kid-friendly activities and entertainment, and food, all while capturing the feel-good Christmas spirit. 

If you love the outdoors, the Everglades National Park offers tours even in the winter through the wetlands of Florida, where you can take a peek at some of the state’s endangered species.

Just because the temperatures are dropping doesn’t mean the fun stops! In Florida, you will find a sunny getaway at any time of the year. Looking to escape to warmer weather in the winter? Take a look at our vacation rentals. Booking and availability can be shown online. 

Headed to the Florida Keys? Here’s What You Should Put on the Agenda

There’s nothing quite like a Florida Keys vacation – but we didn’t have to tell you that, right? Chances are you’ve heard of the magnificent beaches, beautiful blue water, and the multitude of activities from snorkeling to dining. With so many opportunities for fun when staying at a Florida Keys vacation rental, it can be hard to know what to plan for – so, we’ve compiled a list of everything you should put on your agenda when traveling to the Florida Keys in September. 

• Florida Keys Heroes Tribute Weekend at Hawks Cay Resort (Marathon – September 3-5): Honor military, fire rescue, police, and medical personnel with the annual Heros Salute Labor Day Weekend. The event includes a family fun night, virtual 5k run/walk, live music, food, and contests.
• Swim for Alligator Lighthouse (Islamorada – September 11): When staying at one of our South Florida Vacation Rentals, grab your friends and family and team up for a relay! You’ll have seven hours to complete an eight-mile round trip course, starting in-water and finishing shoreside on the beach. 
• 37th Annual Underwater Music Festival (Big Pine Key – September 18): Divers and snorkelers alike can enjoy an ocean celebration encouraging environmentally responsible diving and the preservation of coral reefs. You might even catch mermaids and other costumed characters. The event will be staged at Looe Key Reef, part of the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, located six miles south of Big Pine Key.
• Take Stock in Children Backcountry Challenge (Key Largo – September 24 – 26):  Enjoy catch and release fishing around the clock with a catch and release tournament! Catch redfish, snook, and trout. The event is a charity event with dinner and an awards banquet. 

August Events in the Florida Keys

Even as the summer is winding down into its last month, that doesn’t mean the fun is over in the Florida Keys. In fact, that’s one of the perks of South Florida – our year-round good weather! When you book your stay in a South Florida vacation rental, be sure to check out these local events. 

In Key West from August 12 to August 15, enjoy the seafood at the 25th Annual Key West Lobsterfest. Every year, the festival celebrates the start of the Florida Keys lobster season that starts on August 6. The lineup includes a traditional lobster boil and a street fair with plenty of seafood options prepared in various ways. Enjoy lobster the Florida way – prepare in butter with seasoned stuffing or in a cool summer salad!

In Islamorada, you can see the History of Diving Museum Exhibit: Diving in Pop Culture until the end of 2021! The museum has displays of diving in literature, film and television, games, music, advertisements, and more and analyzes its connection throughout those works. Staff at the museum has collected and researched the ways diving plays a part in pop culture for nearly 100 years. If you want to experience the rich history of the Keys, you don’t want to miss this exhibit. 

On August 25, the Fee-Free Day at Everglades and Dry Tortugas National Parks will commemorate the park’s 105th birthday. All entrance fees are waived. The park is one of the must-sees when staying anywhere in South Florida and is worth making the trip from Florida Keys vacation rentals.

2 Places to Visit in South Florida This Summer

South Florida is one of the most sought-after vacation spots in the country. Paradise-like beaches and a variety of food, along with art galleries, national parks, and architecture that is so abundant, you just can’t fit it all into one week of vacation! There are so many places you could visit this summer, but two places in particular we think are the gems of South Florida, and should be on your radar.

Coconut Grove, located south of Downtown Miami, is one of the best neighborhoods in Miami. Hotel Arya, one of our South Florida vacation rentals, sits right in the center and includes deluxe rooms, studios, and 1-3 bedroom units. Enjoy a view of Biscayne Bay and the Miami Skyline (something you can only find in Coconut Grove!)

Love art? Hotel Arya comes with many original works from well-respected artists like Frank Stella, Robert Rauschenberg, Jan Dibbets, Lynne Golub Gelfman, Carl Palazzolo, and many more. Coconut Grove has three of Miami’s most popular beachside parks, with some of the best views in town. Hotel Arya is just minutes away from art galleries, shopping, famous restaurants and bars, movie theaters, and anything else on the travel itinerary for Miami!

We couldn’t make a list without bringing up the Florida Keys – Key Largo, Islamorada, Marathon, and Key West are all worth mentioning. Check out Florida Keys vacation rentals! If you are looking for a classic Florida vacation, these are the places to go. Adventure seekers will love the keys for its variety of water activities (scuba diving, kayaking, charter boat fishing, snorkeling, and diving to the infamous Florida Keys shipwreck).

The Florida keys also have a number of art galleries and museums and unique shopping experiences that you can only find in the Keys. Enjoy the best seafood around – the Keys have fresh catches everywhere you go! 

Property Owners Through SoFLA

Did you know that for over ten years, the SoFLA team has offered property management, sales, and marketing services to vacation rental property owners? Since 2011, SoFLA Vacations has worked with owners in the Miami and Florida Keys area for high-quality property management services. Owners Andrew Korge and Rebeca Orozco understand just how important it is to maintain a South Florida vacation rental. Our team ensures your property is up to the same standards as a luxury hotel, all the while providing services for you as a property owner and your guests that surpass standard.

Listing a property with us means you’ll see a number of benefits. Our sales and marketing services include marketing on major channels such as Expedia, Booking.com. Airbnb, Homeaway, and VRBO. You’ll get deliverables on strategic online marketing programs like Google, Bing, Yahoo, and many other search engines. We’ll stay in contact with your guests through social media and email marketing, and our team will analyze competitors quite often to ensure you get the best pricing and benefits.

Along with our marketing services, you’ll also get:

• Maintenance of property standards to ensure they are as high as a luxury hotel

• Collect guest payments and damage deposits

• Coordination and inspection of unit cleanings following a stay

• Scheduling regular and emergency maintenance

• Preparing yearly tax income forms for owner taxes

• No limit on owner usage of property

• Management of renovations with no upfront cost

…and so much more! Let SoFLA Vacations help you manage your Florida Keys vacation rental – visit us online to request a free custom revenue forecast for your property.

4 Things to do Before You Head to the Beach

The beach is essential for any South Florida vacation. It’s perfect for relaxing solo, or building sandcastles and playing in the water with kids. You should know and prepare for a few things before heading out to a day of sun.

Bring reusable plastic bags. You don’t need to dish out money for a protective mobile case from a souvenir shop. Place your phone, keys, and wallets in reusable sandwich bags to keep moisture and sand away! Use larger gallon-sized bags for wet swimsuits when leaving the beach and to house leaky sunscreen bottles.

Pack several swimsuits and a change of clothes. If you’ll be leaving the beach and heading out somewhere else before going back to your South Florida vacation rental this will keep you comfortable and from walking around in a wet bathing suit all day or night. Before leaving your Florida Keys vacation rentals, consider what activities lay ahead for the day and pack accordingly.

Stock up snacks ahead of time. Even if you are just relaxing, hanging out in the sun all day can zap a lot of your energy, making you extra hungry. Packing snacks will keep you from cutting your beach day short and feeling uncomfortable. Pack fruit and other healthy snacks since junk food can make you feel more tired and won’t keep you full for long.

If you are driving your own vehicle, get a folding shade to protect the interior from the sun. This way, when you’re ready to head home, you’ll come back to a much cooler vehicle and spend less time waiting for the A/C to kick on.

The Best Sunscreens for Your South Florida Vacation

Sunscreen is always a good idea – whether you’re hitting the pool or going for an afternoon walk in the middle of October. Applying sunscreen is especially important at the beach since the sand and water reflect the sun’s rays, and intensifies them, increasing your risk of sunburn (and nothing ruins a beach vacation faster than a bad sunburn!) Even on a cloudy day, the ultraviolet rays from the sun are still present, putting you at risk for sunburn.

UVA and UVB rays are present, and both are responsible for skin damage. UVA rays can break through glass and skin, and often you won’t feel yourself getting a sunburn. This type of radiation damages the skin cell DNA and its tissue. UVB ray’s reach is shorter and can’t get through glass, but it’s responsible for sunburns and can still damage DNA.

There are many sunscreen options out there, but there are a few that are especially great for beachgoers. Broadspectrum sunscreen protects you from both UVA and UVB radiation. Look for bottles labeled as broad-spectrum, UVA/UVB protection, or full-spectrum.

It’s advised that you use an SPF of at least 30, as per the American Academy of Dermatology recommendation. SPF is the measure of how well the sunscreen protects against UVB rays (sunburns). SPF 30 will protect you up to 97%, while an SPF of 100 will protect you 99%.

Waterproof sunscreen at the beach is a must! When you are constantly going in and out of the water, it can break down the sunscreen, causing it to wear off faster. You can find waterproof sunscreen in either 40 minutes or 80 minutes increments, which means it will stay on for that length of time while in the water.

Always remember to pack your sunscreen when going to the beach, and apply it every two hours.

If you’re in need of South Florida vacation rentals or a Florida Keys Vacation Rental visit us online to book your stay with us.